| The Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel was first called
the Straight Creek Tunnel, a name derived from the valley where the west
portal was located. The Colorado State Legislature chose the new title in
1972. Dedication of the first of the twin tunnels came March 8, 1973, and
the project was opened to two-way traffic on that day. Users of Colorado
highways and those of other states provided the financing through state
and federal road use taxes. Federal aid accounted for about ninety two percent
of the $108 million needed, administered through the Federal Highway Administration.
The rest was state funding. Prime contractor for the mile and seven-tenths
project was a joint venture, Straight Creek Constructors. Venture members
were Al Johnson Construction Company (Minneapolis), Gibbons and Reed Company
(Salt Lake City), Kemper Construction Company (Los Angeles), and Western
Paving Company (Denver). At the height of activity as many as 1,140 persons
were employed in three shifts, twenty four hours a day, six days a week
VENTILATION CONSTRUCTION FACTS: One million cubic yards of material was
cleared from each bore. 190,000 cubic yards of concrete was used for each
tunnel lining. Three fatalities occurred on the 1st bore six on the 2nd
bore. Problems in the Loveland fault area led to drastic measures. The
solution was multi-drift construction technology with concrete being pumped
continuously so no cold joints would be in the drifts. Outside face to
outside face of ventilating buildings is 8,941 feet or 1,693 miles. Of
the distance, there are 7,789 feet of rock tunneling and total of 1,152
feet of ventilating/portal structures and cut-and-cover sections at east
and west ends. Saving in mileages as compare to the routing over Loveland
Pass is 9.1 miles
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